Norv Turner made some waves with Vikings fans this week by essentially suggesting that Christian Ponder is a better NFL quarterback than he is given credit for and insisting he is in the mix for first team consideration.
I agree that the negative attention plaguing Ponder is perhaps out of proportion with his actual on-field failures, and that he may have done better as a newcomer under different circumstances or with another team, but there are very few that will believe Turner is actually considering Ponder as a potential week one starter.
Matt Cassel is pretty much the incumbent at this point and is taking the most first team repetitions. Rookie Teddy Bridgewater looks to be the second team leader right now with the clear potential to push for the top spot. That presumably leaves Ponder floundering about at the bottom of the depth chart with swirling trade rumors, speculation about being cut this year, and with no contractual stability.
With everything we know and with everything being said publicly by this coaching regime I want to get your predictions for the opening day depth chart at quarterback. I’ve included an “other” option for those of you who see a more complex turn of events in this team’s future.
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Somebody picked Ponder as the starter? Hahaha. Somebody also chose other, but did not explain in the comments. It says right there...other (explain in the comments). Jeez.
I chose old #1. I wanna see the rook but I believe the smart move is Cassel. If for no other reason than if Cassel struggles, Teddy can come in with little pressure. If he also sucks...then he's a rookie who needs time. But if he kicks ass...HA! Bingo!
cc, we've tracked in some phacker dung on the bottom of our shoes here. just shake it off
Cassel better not be the starter. If he is Vikings have serious problems.
Cassel will start, Bridgewater definitely backup. Ponder traded. Think about it. Zimmerman has waited his whole life for this job, Turner has nothing to prove, what motivation do they have to throw Bridgewater to the wolves? Seriously, if you are a knowledgeable fan, using your brain and not your (fill in the blank, I don't know you), is there any other reasonable scenario? I believe Zim and Norv! will give Ponder a fair shake, no motivation otherwise. But with the position battles coming at every other position, why would you keep Ponder? To prove you are a better coach, with a better scheme that will make Ponder the "Man"? Spielman is their boss, and Wilf is a fan like the rest of us. What would you do? We all respond to incentives, internal and external. Showcase Ponder enough to get a draft pick, Spielman will spend the 7th round pick he finagles for Ponder right after a QB goes down in a pre-season game, and then scheme all year to figure out how to parley that pick into the replacement for #12 overall. And he is so cocky, he genuinely believes he will do so. Because trading up is sexy, and implies you are better at the game than your peers. We all are gamblers at heart, and like to believe we have the "knack" but sadly...we don't...and neither does Rick. Ozzie at Ravens is boring, but he plays the odds, BPA every time. As a former all pro, he's the one that should feel entitled to recognize talent ahead of non-players, but he stays objective. Don't get me wrong, I like Rick, I support every choice he has made, because I like to think I am better at picking, just like every stock picker and Vegas 21 player. It is "fun", but Arif has reminded us the NFL is a numbers game, be the "house" and take advantage of egos. Cheers!
Gamblers? Some people be ramblers...
You lose all credibility when you spell our coaches last name wrong.
As of opening day I see Cassel as the starter. However, with the volatility at the quarterback position over the years, I don't think Vikings fans will have the patience to wait for results in quarterback leadership and talent. I also believe that Zimmer has been waiting too long for the opportunity as a head coach in the NFL, and will pull the trigger about half way through the season, and send in Bridgewater, especially with the inconsistencies Cassel has had over his career. We Viking fans are tired of excuses and geriatric patches in what is the most important component of team play, and we are all expecting Zimmer to change that.
If they were going to move Ponder they would have already done so.
Norv Turner is a very experienced and very good OC; he would know whether or not a player has been underrated or overrated better than most would. Ponder is younger and under Norv's leadership can improve, with Cassell as the back-up, and Bridgewater holding the clipboard.
Agreed, I think Ponder starting would be better than Cassell and having Ted redshirt a year would be good for him.
Other. Gloth warriors from the planet Zylgg invade earth before training camp, installing their own Q.B. Cassel is zapped by a ray gun defending winter park. Ponder is exiled to the planet kxgwlp where he is forced to marry the 3-headed alien princess glpt. Samantha grieves. Ponder eventually forgets Sam and he and glpt have many two-headed children together. Bridgewater sits until he has mastered the intricacies of gloth play calling. That, or Cassel starts until next year or he gets injured and becomes the trivia answer to who preceded Gehrig at 1st base. Bridgewater from there. If they can conjure up a market for Ponder he gets traded.
All I've got to say is dibs on Samantha in that scenario.
I believe Ponder will be traded to the highest bidder which will resultin a 4th or5th rround pick.Teddy will start and Cassel will backup.
Cassel, Bridgewater, McKinnon. Why use a third slot out of 53 on Ponder when McKinnon could pitch in if emergency. Use that slot for another position.
I strongly suspect Cassel will be starting. That said, if it comes to a point where the Vikings have trouble saying one is better than the other, start whichever one matches up best against the opposition that week. Don't start someone just because the team won the previous game. It's good to have some flexibility. Most teams have a clear-cut best quarterback. At some point, that's probably not going to be the case with the Vikings.
I voted "Other" because I think there's a real chance that we'll only keep two quarterbacks, Cassel and Bridgewater, in that order, and groom Kain Colter to be the #5 wide receiver and the #3 QB. I also wouldn't be shocked if McKinnon got some work in practice as a QB, especially - wait for it - with option plays (I know, that's a shocker).
As for Ponder, I think he's more likely to be traded than cut.